List of ways to humble ourselves

[girl-interrupted]

I'm a newer Christian (so if I say something stupid, take it easy on me, LOL). I've been learning the importance of humility, though if I had it, I'd probably be proud of it.😂 God's word tells us to humble ourselves. There's nothing we can do without God, but since he commands us to humble ourselves, I've started a list of ways to strive for it. I'd love it if you would add to the list.

Thank the Lord often and always.
Ask the Lord to expose our pride to us.
Know that we are helpless and hopeless without the Lord.
Confess sins regularly.
Be a cheerful servant to others.
Don't try to elevate ourselves in any way i.g., clothes, house, car, job, intelligence, etc.
Elevate others.
Think of others and God more often than ourselves.
Be okay with not being noticed.
Be okay with not being heard or understood.
Be okay with unimportant or with being a nobody.
Don't take credit.
Admit mistakes and apologize.
Accept humiliations.
Go last. Let others go ahead.
Be willing to take criticism.
Don't insist on your own way.

 

[PaulNew]

realize that by worrying you cannot add one cubit to your stature.
realize that you cannot make one hair white or black.
realize that you did not make yourself of the universe.
realize that you cannot guarantee you will last even one more second.
realize that you are nothing. Embrace it. Gladly be nothing.
There is such a great freedom in being nothing.
"For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. " Gal 6:3
"Greatest of all is servant of all"

 

[Runningman]

I'm a newer Christian (so if I say something stupid, take it easy on me, LOL). I've been learning the importance of humility, though if I had it, I'd probably be proud of it.😂 God's word tells us to humble ourselves. There's nothing we can do without God, but since he commands us to humble ourselves, I've started a list of ways to strive for it. I'd love it if you would add to the list.

Thank the Lord often and always.
Ask the Lord to expose our pride to us.
Know that we are helpless and hopeless without the Lord.
Confess sins regularly.
Be a cheerful servant to others.
Don't try to elevate ourselves in any way i.g., clothes, house, car, job, intelligence, etc.
Elevate others.
Think of others and God more often than ourselves.
Be okay with not being noticed.
Be okay with not being heard or understood.
Be okay with unimportant or with being a nobody.
Don't take credit.
Admit mistakes and apologize.
Accept humiliations.
Go last. Let others go ahead.
Be willing to take criticism.
Don't insist on your own way.

Great list. 1 Corinthians 13 came to mind. Check it out.

 

[girl-interrupted]

realize that by worrying you cannot add one cubit to your stature.
realize that you cannot make one hair white or black.
realize that you did not make yourself of the universe.
realize that you cannot guarantee you will last even one more second.
realize that you are nothing. Embrace it. Gladly be nothing.
There is such a great freedom in being nothing.
"For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. " Gal 6:3
"Greatest of all is servant of all"

I REALLY like your list, PaulNew. Being nothing is really such a relief, such freedom, as you said.

 

[girl-interrupted]

Great list. 1 Corinthians 13 came to mind. Check it out.

I love that chapter. It's so beautiful. Thank you, Runningman!

 

[Runningman]

I love that chapter. It's so beautiful. Thank you, Runningman!

Many of the Psalms just get me in a literal worship kind of mood. I find they are so inspiring and beautiful that I cannot help but feel humbled before our Maker. One of my personal favorites is Psalm 27.

 

[Lynx]

One of the best ways to get humble is to be proud.

I used to think that verse was backward. Every time I took a fall my pride would goeth.

 

[girl-interrupted]

Many of the Psalms just get me in a literal worship kind of mood. I find they are so inspiring and beautiful that I cannot help but feel humbled before our Maker. One of my personal favorites is Psalm 27.

I just read Psalm 27 a couple of times. I totally need to memorize that one. It's amazing.

 

[SummerDeAngelo]

~Studying the life of Christ.

~Always remembering our sinfulness, even being occupied with it.

 

[Isny]

In comment #2 above PaulNew wrote "Greatest of all is servant of all" .....indeed "Life is not worth living unless it is lived for others".

 

[PaulNew]

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” - Gal 5:13&14

This goes very well with James 1:27, especially if you swap the word 'Religion' for 'Love for God'.

Our Father in heaven is gradually helping me grow in humility through my job.
I am a grocery delivery driver. I deliver trays of groceries to customers doors and most of them happily and quickly unload them.
About 1 in 50 want me to unload it for them into their bags, which isn't really my job, so I engage in a battle of wills with them. I have plenty of time to do it but its like they're making me their slave if I do it and getting the better of me. Anyway, now I just unload it into their bags without a fight and its a much more spiritually lovely experience. I think next God is going to want me to say "Have a nice day." to them when I leave, and to sincerely mean it. Work in progress!

 

[girl-interrupted]

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” - Gal 5:13&14

This goes very well with James 1:27, especially if you swap the word 'Religion' for 'Love for God'.

Our Father in heaven is gradually helping me grow in humility through my job.
I am a grocery delivery driver. I deliver trays of groceries to customers doors and most of them happily and quickly unload them.
About 1 in 50 want me to unload it for them into their bags, which isn't really my job, so I engage in a battle of wills with them. I have plenty of time to do it but its like they're making me their slave if I do it and getting the better of me. Anyway, now I just unload it into their bags without a fight and its a much more spiritually lovely experience. I think next God is going to want me to say "Have a nice day." to them when I leave, and to sincerely mean it. Work in progress!

Aww, this is such a wonderful opportunity for you to be a servant as Jesus was. You're fortunate to have this opportunity before you. I'm stuck at home with an illness and rarely find opportunities to serve. I pray for them.

 

[PaulNew]

Aww, this is such a wonderful opportunity for you to be a servant as Jesus was. You're fortunate to have this opportunity before you. I'm stuck at home with an illness and rarely find opportunities to serve. I pray for them.

When I read your message it was a bit like a gong sounding in my head (in a good way). I AM fortunate to have this OPPORTUNITY to Love others, and especially those who really annoy me.

Yesterday one of my customers wasn't in. And when a customer isn't in they don't get their groceries, and, here is my wickedness, I then don't WANT them to get them! I don't want them to get back just as I'm driving off, and stop me, and get them. I have always felt this way in this job. So, as I was about to go, a neighbor rushed out who had a different phone number for the customer and phoned them and told them I was there and then told me they would be back in a few minutes. So I waited. Then they got back and didn't say "sorry". So I hated the interfering neighbor and the customer.

But then, I was very convicted by the Holy Spirit about the whole thing, and my lack of love for them.
And I wake up this morning feeling changed.
From now on if a customer isn't in, I will try to make a genuine effort through love for them to resolve it, and not rush-off and teach them lesson.
And I'm also going to try to sincerely say "have a nice day" when the delivery is difficult and annoying.

I am sorry to hear about your situation, it must be very frustrating.
Your message to me has been of service to me as I hope my account shows.
And I will pray too that The LORD show you more opportunities to serve.

 

[Hungry]

I think humility can coincide with a healthy ego. There are two ways to increase pride; focus on your own achievements and focus on others failures. If you focus only on your own failures you may lose confidence which isn’t good. If you focus on the successes and short comings of others while maintaining an honest opinion of self then you can each be teacher and student. Abraham Lincoln stated, “In some way or another, each man is my superior. Therefore, in some way each man is my teacher.” The Christian life is the melding of individuals into one Body.” Iron sharpens iron. One of the problems I see isn’t with smart people knowing they’re smart. It’s when smart people knowing they’re smart, assume everyone else is stupid. Humility isn’t about shaming yourself, it’s about not shaming others.

 

[girl-interrupted]

When I read your message it was a bit like a gong sounding in my head (in a good way). I AM fortunate to have this OPPORTUNITY to Love others, and especially those who really annoy me.

Yesterday one of my customers wasn't in. And when a customer isn't in they don't get their groceries, and, here is my wickedness, I then don't WANT them to get them! I don't want them to get back just as I'm driving off, and stop me, and get them. I have always felt this way in this job. So, as I was about to go, a neighbor rushed out who had a different phone number for the customer and phoned them and told them I was there and then told me they would be back in a few minutes. So I waited. Then they got back and didn't say "sorry". So I hated the interfering neighbor and the customer.

But then, I was very convicted by the Holy Spirit about the whole thing, and my lack of love for them.
And I wake up this morning feeling changed.
From now on if a customer isn't in, I will try to make a genuine effort through love for them to resolve it, and not rush-off and teach them lesson.
And I'm also going to try to sincerely say "have a nice day" when the delivery is difficult and annoying.

I am sorry to hear about your situation, it must be very frustrating.
Your message to me has been of service to me as I hope my account shows.
And I will pray too that The LORD show you more opportunities to serve.

This is beautiful, PaulNew. Your life seems filled with opportunities for service, love, and humility (humility, when they don't say sorry). Thanks for sharing this and for your kind words. BTW, I get grocery delivery, LOL. They just leave it all at the door. There's no contact. The Lord bless you!

 

[girl-interrupted]

I think humility can coincide with a healthy ego. There are two ways to increase pride; focus on your own achievements and focus on others failures. If you focus only on your own failures you may lose confidence which isn’t good. If you focus on the successes and short comings of others while maintaining an honest opinion of self then you can each be teacher and student. Abraham Lincoln stated, “In some way or another, each man is my superior. Therefore, in some way each man is my teacher.” The Christian life is the melding of individuals into one Body.” Iron sharpens iron. One of the problems I see isn’t with smart people knowing they’re smart. It’s when smart people knowing they’re smart, assume everyone else is stupid. Humility isn’t about shaming yourself, it’s about not shaming others.

I think humility can coincide with a healthy ego. There are two ways to increase pride; focus on your own achievements and focus on others failures. If you focus only on your own failures you may lose confidence which isn’t good. If you focus on the successes and short comings of others while maintaining an honest opinion of self then you can each be teacher and student. Abraham Lincoln stated, “In some way or another, each man is my superior. Therefore, in some way each man is my teacher.” The Christian life is the melding of individuals into one Body.” Iron sharpens iron. One of the problems I see isn’t with smart people knowing they’re smart. It’s when smart people knowing they’re smart, assume everyone else is stupid. Humility isn’t about shaming yourself, it’s about not shaming others.

Oh, but I only wish I could experience shame and get rid of my ego. Then I could humble myself before God and man, which I'm not able to do. I also feel that self-confidence is way overrated. It's okay if you disagree with me. 🤗 Thanks so much for expressing your thoughts.

 

[Mezame83]

I like what people have written in this thread, it's always a good thing to examine ourselves as 2 Cor 13:5 suggests, not others, but ourselves. I know I don't want to be looking at the speck in someones eye when there's a log in mine.
As always, Jesus is our perfect example, for he "came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).
The death he endured on the cross was a picture of true humility. Phil 2:8 says that Jesus humbled himself in obedience.
Thinking of the whole world whom God loves, Jesus laid down his life and we too as Christians are to do likewise.

Serve
Love God
Phil 4:8-9
Love others
Be kind to yourself
Have a gratitude attitude
Remember from whence you came
Be content with such things as you have

 

[Seeker47]

Aww, this is such a wonderful opportunity for you to be a servant as Jesus was. You're fortunate to have this opportunity before you. I'm stuck at home with an illness and rarely find opportunities to serve. I pray for them.

Your post touched my heart. You may be stuck at home but you "served" my spirit today. Are your opportunities as rare as they feel or is your service something different than you think? I believe God has given you special opportunities others may not have, even in your difficulties. You are in my prayers.

 

[girl-interrupted]

Your post touched my heart. You may be stuck at home but you "served" my spirit today. Are your opportunities as rare as they feel or is your service something different than you think? I believe God has given you special opportunities others may not have, even in your difficulties. You are in my prayers.

This is so kind of you to say. Your post truly touched my heart as well. Thank you! 🤗